Boat hull construction

ABSTRACT

A hull of two water-tight compartments or sections variably disposable is disclosed whereby a vessel constructed from such hull may be provided with catamaran-like characteristics as well as conventional hull-type characteristics.

' United States Patent 1191 Miller Dec. 16, 1975 [54] BOAT HULL CONSTRUCTION FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS lnvemorl Keith Roy Phillip Miller, 183 Main 1.341.211 12/1962 France 9/1 T Ail r ig, n ario. Canada 158.425 11/1932 Switzerland 9/2 c [22] Filed: Sept. 18, 1974 Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix 7 t App! 506948 Assistant Examiner-Jesus D. Sotelo Attorney, Agent, or Firm Finnegan, Henderson, [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Farabow & Garrett Dec. 13, 1973 Canada l89243 I 52 us. Cl 9/2 R [57] ABSTRACT hit. Cl. A of two water tight compartments o Sections [58] held M Search 9/1 1 2 2 2 variably disposable is disclosed whereby a vessel con- 77 R, 77 A stnicted from such hull may be provided with catamaran-like characteristics as well as conventional hulll l References Clted type characteristics.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.139.058 6/1964 Robinson 9/2 s 2 Clams 7 Drawmg F'gures "US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet1of2 3,925,837

Sheet 2 of 2 US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 FIG. 4

BOAT HULL CONSTRUCTION 1 .1

- This invention relates to a'boat-a'nd more particularly to a boat with a longitudinallypartitioned andvariably disposable hull. Y I s Boats of various hull configuration, shapes and designs are known, some more common, some less familiar. Each has its own characteristic which gives it certain advantages or disadvantages.- I t The'objects of the present invention are to provide a split or sectional hull construction for avessel to give various running characteristics asmay be desired. The split hull of two watertight compartments may be constrained in juxtaposition whereinthehull proves floating characteristics of a more conventional hulled vessel. Alternatively, the compartments maybe separated whereupon the hull splits to essentially form pontoons of a catamaraned-like vessel and displays corresponding floating characteristics. By varying the relative position of each of the compartments, a range ofoperational characteristics may beachievled The invention therefore achieves a boat comprising:

a a hull of two juxtaposed hollow sections, each section including a plate and an enclosing body portion, the plate .being essentially flat and longitudinally extending as a side of the section across the body portion to form a hollow member or section therewith,

b struts inter-connectingly mounted' on each of the hollow sections 'to dispose the plates relatively proximate and substantially parallel to each other,

e gear means including connection means inter-connecting the hollow sections whereby relative movement of the gear means imparts relative movement to the hollow sections whereby the sections may be selectively disposed in adjacent juxtaposition or separated at will.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the hull (closed).

FIG. 2 is a perspective of FIG. 1 with the hollow sections separated.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective of the hull of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the hull of FIG. 2, partly in section.

FIG. 5 is an exploded plan view of a gear means imparting relative position to the hollow sections.

FIG. 6 is a section along lines VIVI of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a section along lines VII-VII of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4 a vessel or boat 10 includes generally a hull 11 of two hollow preferably water-tight compartments or sections 12 and 13. The sections include a body-like portion 15, an essentially flat longitudinally extending plate 16 extending to enclose the body portion into an open hollow section 12. Preferably the section 12 is closed into a water-tight compartment and in such preferred embodiment there is provided a cover 17 to seal closed the section 12 into the water-tight compartment.

The water-tight hollow section 12 is a virtual image with that of section 13, hence the extending plates 16 of each of the sections 12 and 13 are relatively disposed closer together than the corresponding body portions 15.

The sections 12 and 13 are connected together through a fore and aft arrangement 18 and 19 of a pair 2 26 of hollow parallel guide struts 27 and 28. Into each strut 27 and 28 respectively telescopes a joist 36 and 37 each mounted atits remote end respectively-to section 12 or 13. The strut 27 and 28, in their centres provide a slot or window 'which respectively exposes racks .34 and 33 of the joist 36 and37 as will shortly be de- .scribed.- It is by relative-telescoping of the joists 36 and 37 that the sections 12 and 13 are positionable in rela- .tive.proximal juxtaposition .(FIGS. 1 and-3) or extended apart (FIGS. 2 and '4) many variationtherebe- 34. The rack 33 is mounted on the margin of one of the ,joists, for example, 36, facing the joist 37, the other rack 34 is mounted to the margin of the joist 37 which faces the. joistf36. The drive arrangement aft is connected to a similar arrangement fore as by continuous chain 41 interlocking between drive gears 29 located both fore and aft. An aperture 42 is provided through the central deck 43 (and as shown in FIG. 4) is in the fore location although it may as well be at theaft. It is through this aperture 42 that a crank 44 may be inserted to engagethe axis 31 by a recessed slot 45 by rotation of the crank the hull sections 12 and 13 are disposed in open'or closed arrangement in the following manner: Rotation of the crank 44 causes rotation of the fore axis 31 andof the fore drive gear 29 and the interscoping or telescoping (depending upon counterclockwise or clockwise rotation of the crank) of the racks 33 and 34 and hence of the associated fore joists 36 and 37. Simultaneously, through the linkage of the continuous loop chain 41. the rotation is imparted to the aft drive gear 29 and hence the aft axis 31 and in a like manner the aft joists 36 and 37 move in unison with the fore joists. Thesections 12 and 13 thus respectively moved and may be positioned as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and 2; or as in FIGS. 3 and 4, or at any intermediate position. a

Now the boat 10 is further provided with a plurality of longitudinal "hinged interfolding deck members 49 onto which the central fixed deck 47 is securely mounted. Along the longitudinal margin of the central deck 47 are hinges 48 to provide a hinging connection with interfoldinggdeck members 49 and 50. The members 50 are hinged at 52 to the interior longitudinal margin of the hull15 and at 53 to the interfolding member 49. The closedconfrguration of the hull 11, FIGS. 1 and 3, the hinged members 49 and 50 are disposed in the inverted V while when the boat 10 is extended to its open hull position of FIGS. 2 and 4 the members 49 and 50 are flat and contiguous with the upper surface of the central deck 49 to form an extended deck surface 50, 49, 47, 49 and 50 as clearly indicated in FIGS. 2 and 4. In this arrangement the fore and aft joists 36 and 37 support the interfolding deck members 49 and 50.

From the aft of the central deck 47 an upward standing transom plate 51 may be provided onto which an outboard motor may be mounted to provide propulsion for the boat.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as folt 2. A boat comprising:

lows:

a. a hullot two juxtaposed hollow sections, each sec- 1 A boat comprising: o

a. a hull of twojuxtaposed hollow sections, each section including a plate and an enclosing body portion, the plate being essentially flat and longitudinally extending as-a side of the section across the body portion to form a-hollow member or section therewith;

b. struts interconnectingly mounted fore and aft on tion including a plate and an enclosing body portion. the plate being essentially flat and longitudinally extending as a side of the section across the body portion to form a hollow member or section therewith;

' -b.' struts interconnectingly mounted on each of the hollow sections to dispose the plates relatively each of the hollowsections and essentially at right proximate and substantially parallel to each other; angles to the plates'to dispose the plates relatively c. gear means including connection means interconproximate and substantially parallel to each other; necting the hollow sections whereby relativemoveand l I ment of the gear means imparts relative movement gear'means including interconnected fore and aft 1 5 to the hollow sections whereby the sections may be arrangements of a hollow parallel guide into which selectively disposed in adjacent juxtaposition or a strut from each hollow section telescopingly is separated at will; and adapted to move and means for relatively moving d. a central rigid deck portion mounted over the and constraining the struts within the guides comstruts, a pair of interfolding deck members hingaprising a fore and aft gear box mounted on the 70 bly mounted between longitudinal margins of the guides and containing a pinion gear, each strut disrigid deck portion and the margin of each hollow posing a rack along one margin which engages the section, whereby, when the hollow sections are dispinion gear, and link means for connecting the fore posed to their fullest extent, the interfolding deck and aft gear boxes whereby rotation of one pinion members extend into the same plane as the rigid gear transmits rotation to the other pinion'gear and deck portion to form a deck, and when the hollow relative movement of the fore and aft struts and sections are in juxtaposition the interfolding deck hollow sections whereby the sections may be selecmembers are disposed essentially vertically and tively disposed in adjacent juxtaposition or sepasurmounting the margins of the hollow section. rated at will. 

1. A boat comprising: a. a hull of two juxtaposed hollow sections, each section including a plate and an enclosing body portion, the plate being essentially flat and longitudinally extending as a side of the section across the body portion to form a hollow member or section therewith; b. struts interconnectingly mounted fore and aft on each of the hollow sections and essentially at right angles to the plates to dispose the plates relatively proximate and substantially parallel to Each other; and c. gear means including interconnected fore and aft arrangements of a hollow parallel guide into which a strut from each hollow section telescopingly is adapted to move and means for relatively moving and constraining the struts within the guides comprising a fore and aft gear box mounted on the guides and containing a pinion gear, each strut disposing a rack along one margin which engages the pinion gear, and link means for connecting the fore and aft gear boxes whereby rotation of one pinion gear transmits rotation to the other pinion gear and relative movement of the fore and aft struts and hollow sections whereby the sections may be selectively disposed in adjacent juxtaposition or separated at will.
 2. A boat comprising: a. a hull of two juxtaposed hollow sections, each section including a plate and an enclosing body portion, the plate being essentially flat and longitudinally extending as a side of the section across the body portion to form a hollow member or section therewith; b. struts interconnectingly mounted on each of the hollow sections to dispose the plates relatively proximate and substantially parallel to each other; c. gear means including connection means interconnecting the hollow sections whereby relative movement of the gear means imparts relative movement to the hollow sections whereby the sections may be selectively disposed in adjacent juxtaposition or separated at will; and d. a central rigid deck portion mounted over the struts, a pair of interfolding deck members hingably mounted between longitudinal margins of the rigid deck portion and the margin of each hollow section, whereby, when the hollow sections are disposed to their fullest extent, the interfolding deck members extend into the same plane as the rigid deck portion to form a deck, and when the hollow sections are in juxtaposition the interfolding deck members are disposed essentially vertically and surmounting the margins of the hollow section. 